Mail-distributing rack.



APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, i909.

Patented Jan. 11, 1910.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. CARPENTER, OF CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIG-NOR OF ONE- FOURTH TO J. B. CARPENTER, OF CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA.

MAIL-DISTRIBUTING RACK.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jan, 11, 1910,

Application filed May 1, 1909. Serial No. 493,382.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM A. CARPEN- run, a citizen of the United States, residing at Charlotte, in the county of Mecklenburg and State of North Carolina, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail-Distributing Racks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a rack of improved construction for use upon mail cars and in post-offices for the purpose of supporting the mail bags in open position while the mail is being distributed and stored therein.

One object of the invention is to provide a rack which may be made entirely of rods 0r gas-piping, and of any desired length or in any preferred number of sections.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rack of this type having novel means for coupling and supporting the elements thereof.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a rack having a novel arrangement of supporting hooks for holding the bags in open position.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rack constructed of a series of rack sections in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through one of the standards, the end of the bridge connected therewith, and the coupling uniting the same, showing the mode of connection and manner of attaching the supporting arm. Fig. 8 is a section through one of the bridge pieces, illustrating the application of the card holder thereto.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates the rack as a whole, which consists of a series of two or more rack sections, and is constructed in entirety of rods or gaspiping. As shown, the rackas formed is a plurality of standards or uprights 2 fitted at their lower ends in base pieces 3 adapted to be fastened to the floor. The standards are connected at their upper ends by a series of double-arched. bridges 4, each consisting of a pair of inverted U-shaped sections 5. The sections 5 of each bridge have their downturned inner ends connected by a U-shaped or V-shaped coupling 6, into which the ends of the sections are threaded, and said coupling is formed with a forwardly projecting threaded socket 7 to receive the inner threaded end of a forwardly projecting supporting arm 8. The outer sections 5 of the two terminal or end sections of the rack are connected to the two outer or end standards by T-couplings 9 into which they are threaded in a similar manner, the stem of each coupling forming a threaded socket 10 to receive the inner threaded end of an outer supporting arm 11, the two outer supporting arms being provided at their forward or free ends with single bag-supporting hooks 12. 'The outer ends of the members 5 of the intermediate bridges, as well as the inner ends of the inner members of the terminal or end bridges, are connected with each other and with the intermediate standard by U-shaped or V-shaped couplings 13, corresponding in construction to the couplings 6 except that the base of each coupling is open to form a threaded socket for the reception of the upper end of the standard, as shown in Fig. 2. The inner ends of supporting arms 1-1 are held in the threaded sockets 15 of the couplings 13, and each of these arms and each of the other intermediate arms 8 is provided with a pair of hooks 16 extending laterally in opposite direction. The several arms 8,11 and 14 are of equal length and project forwardly to a corresponding degree and are arranged in the same horizontal plane.

It will be understood, of course, that the rack may be made of individual sections, each comprising a pair of the supporting standards and the interconnecting bridge piece, and that by the use of couplings and the intermediate bridges of the type de scribed any number of such individual rack sections may be connected to provide a rack of any desired length.

A pair of hooks 17 is provided upon each member 5 of each bridge for cooperation with the hooks upon the supporting arms to receive loops upon the mouth or open end of the mail bag, whereby the latter may be supported in an open position upon the rack, and by the construction and arrangement described it will be seen that two bags may be supported upon each individual rack section and a corresponding number upon each intermediate bridge. The hooks 17 are elevated with relation to the hooks 16 to incline the open mouths of the bags in the usual manner, so that they will slope clownward toward the mail distributer.

A receptacle 18 is provided upon the individual sections of each bridge to receive a card or plate bearing the name of the State or city designating the destination of the adjacently supported bag. This receptacle or holder is supported by a collar or sleeve 19 engaging the section 5 and frictionally or otherwise secured thereon. If desired, certain or all of these supporting sleeves may be provided with hooks 20 for coaction with the other supporting hooks where the bag is provided with a large number of loops. Such construction is shown in con nection with the terminal rack section at the right of Fig. 1.

It will be seen from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, that the invention provides a rack which may be conveniently and economically manufactured, which is strong and durable in construction, effective for its intended purpose, and which may be made of any de sired length.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. A bag supporting rack comprising a 'pair of standards, a bridge connecting the standards, supporting hooks upon the cen ter of said bridge, and arms extending forwardly from the bridge and from said standards and provided with cooperating hooks.

2. A bag supporting rack comprising a pair of standards, a bridge composed of a pair of sections, couplings connecting the bridge sections to each other and to the standards, supporting hooks upon the bridge members, and arms united to the bridge sections and said standards and extending forwardly therefrom and provide with cooperating hooks.

3. A bag supporting rack comprising a pair of standards, a double-arched bridge composed of independent sections, a coupling uniting the inner ends of said sections, couplings uniting the outer ends of the sections to the standards, supporting hooks upon the bridge sections, and arms ext-ending from the couplings and provided with cooperating hooks.

at. A rack comprising a pair of standards, a double-arched bridge composed of independent sections, a Ushaped coupling connecting the inner ends of the bridge sections and provided with a socket, socketed couplings connecting the outer ends of the bridge sections with the standards, hooks upon the bridge sections, and supporting arms fitted in the sockets of the couplings and provided with cooperating hooks.

5. A bag supporting rack comprising a series of standards, a series of doublearched bridges each formed of a pair of independent sections, couplings connecting the bridge sections throughout the series to each other and to the standards, hooks upon the respective bridge sections, and arms carried by the couplings and provided with cooperating hooks.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM A. CARPENTER,

lVitnesses J. B. CARPENTER, J. W. CARPENTER. 

